Oman labour law at a glance
The 2023 Labour Law: a 45-hour week, a two-day weekend, 182 days of tiered sick leave and 98 days of maternity leave.
Governing law
Labour Law issued by Royal Decree No. 53/2023
Oman replaced its 2003 labour law with the Labour Law issued by Royal Decree No. 53/2023, alongside the Social Protection Law of the same year. Together they are the largest change to Omani employment terms in two decades, and several of the numbers HR teams carried in their heads are now wrong.
The most consequential differences are a 45-hour standard week rather than 48, a statutory two-day weekend, sick leave extended to 182 days across four pay bands, and maternity leave nearly doubled to 98 days with paternity leave introduced.
End of service also split by nationality: Omani nationals are covered by the social protection scheme, while expatriate workers continue to accrue the traditional gratuity. A single company-wide gratuity rule no longer describes a mixed workforce.
At a glance
| Governing law | Labour Law, Royal Decree No. 53/2023 |
|---|---|
| Standard hours | 8 hours a day, 45 a week |
| Ramadan hours | 6 hours a day, 30 a week for Muslim employees |
| Weekly rest | Two paid days, normally Friday and Saturday |
| Annual leave | 30 days a year |
| Sick leave | Up to 182 days a year: 21 at full pay, then 75%, 50% and 25% |
| Maternity leave | 98 days paid; 7 days paternity leave |
| Probation | Up to 3 months |
| Notice period | 30 days |
| End of service | Expatriates: 15 days a year for 3 years, then a month a year. Omanis: social protection scheme |
| Overtime | +25% by day, +50% at night, or equivalent time off in lieu |
| Minimum wage | OMR 325 a month for Omani nationals |
These rules, enforced automatically
Set the working week, leave entitlements and rest days once. Dawam applies them to every timesheet, leave balance and payslip after that — no manual counting, no rule remembered wrong.
The working week
Oman is the outlier in the Gulf on hours: the standard week is 45 hours, not 48, across eight-hour days, and the weekly rest is two full paid days rather than one. During Ramadan Muslim employees work six hours a day and 30 a week. A company that copied a 48-hour schedule from a neighbouring country is over the statutory ceiling by three hours a week, every week, and owes the difference as overtime.
Annual leave
Thirty days of paid annual leave a year, accruing across the year of service and taken with the employer’s scheduling. Public holidays and sick days falling inside a leave period are not counted against the balance, and untaken leave is paid out at the end of service. Special leave — bereavement, marriage, examinations — sits outside the annual balance and is granted on its own terms.
Sick leave and other absences
The 2023 law extended sick leave substantially: up to 182 days in a year, paid on a descending scale of the first 21 days at full wage, then bands at three-quarters, half and a quarter of wage. Maternity leave rose to 98 days at full pay, and seven days of paternity leave were introduced for the first time. Each of these is measured against a certificate and a date, which is exactly the kind of counting that goes wrong by hand.
Probation, notice and end of service
Probation runs to three months with one employer, and notice after it is 30 days on either side. End of service now depends on nationality: expatriate workers accrue 15 days of basic wage for each of the first three years and one month for each year after, while Omani nationals are covered by the contributory social protection scheme introduced alongside the labour law. Payroll therefore has to carry two rules at once for a mixed team.
Overtime, wages and records
Overtime is paid at 125% of the hourly wage by day and 150% at night, and may be settled with equivalent time off where the employee agrees. Wages are paid at least monthly through the Wage Protection System. Because the standard week is 45 hours, overtime starts earlier here than anywhere else in the region — a system that computes it from a 48-hour assumption will under-pay quietly and consistently.
Frequently asked
What is the working week in Oman?
Forty-five hours a week over eight-hour days, with two paid rest days — normally Friday and Saturday. During Ramadan Muslim employees work six hours a day and 30 hours a week.
How many annual leave days are employees entitled to in Oman?
Thirty days of paid annual leave a year. Public holidays and sick days that fall inside a leave period are not deducted from the balance.
How is end-of-service pay calculated in Oman?
For expatriate workers, 15 days of basic wage for each of the first three years of service and one month for each year after. Omani nationals are instead covered by the social protection scheme introduced with the 2023 reforms.
How many sick days does the Oman labour law allow?
Up to 182 days in a year, paid on a sliding scale: the first 21 days at full wage, then successive bands at three-quarters, half and a quarter of wage, against a medical certificate.
What is the maximum probation period in Oman?
Three months with the same employer. After probation, either side ends the contract on 30 days’ notice.
How long is maternity leave in Oman?
Ninety-eight days at full pay under the 2023 law, up from 50 days previously. Fathers are entitled to seven days of paternity leave.
This summary is written for HR and business owners, not as legal advice. Statutes are amended, ministerial decisions change the detail, and contracts and collective agreements routinely improve on the statutory minimum. Check the current text of the law, or your counsel, before acting on a figure here.
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